Projection printer process



Oct. 11, 1966 E. M. HARRIS 3,277,776

PROJECTION PRINTER PROCESS Filed June 14, 1963 @f (ff Bim@ wu@ ATTORNEY United States Patent O i Evelyn This invention relates to photographic equipment and m-ore particularly to a projection printer for obtaining photo graphic reproductions.

'Phe normal process of taking a picture, processing a negative, allowing drying time, printing a picture, processing and drying the print takes a great deal of time. Although many short-cutiand fully automated processes for doing this work have been proposed in the past, none have proven too successful. These include the coin operated machines in dry goods stores and Iamusement parks as well as the more popular Polaroid systems in present use. The equipment is either too expensive or is a single print operation wherein any duplicate prints require the normal photographic processing procedure to be followed.

The need for a fast printing service, and obtaining multiple prints olf a picture is most obvious as regards passport photographs. Here high standards are set for quality, specific sizes of the print and head image are essential, and usually `the customer wants the Work completed while he waits. Ordinarily the best service is between 24 hours and 3 days because of the processing time -required after a picture is taken.

IIt is an object or this invention to disclose a new and novel means ott reproductive printing which is both simple and fast and will have Igreat use in the eld o-f photography.

More particularly, it is an object of this invention to disclose a means of taking and printing a picture, as well as any desired number of duplicates within an exceptionally short time in comparison with presently known means of doing so.

It is an object of lthis invention to provide a device which will receive a posit-ive paper -lm havin-g a negative image and to process prints directly therefrom which require only the development and lxing thereof.

It is an object of this invention to provide a projection printer which is simple in construction, includes a minimum of parts, and is therefore economical to make and sell commercially.

It is an object of ythis invention to provide a projection printer which includes a simple lens and prism arranged to receive and project an image for printing and enlargement if desired from a `positive paper negative.

It is an object of this invention to show, teach, and disclose a simple and expedient method and apparatus for printing passport photos which will revolutionize the passport and like photographic services where fast service is in high demand.

These and other objects and advantages to be gained in the practice of this invention will be better understood and appreciated upon a reading of the following specification in regard to a preferred embodiment of the invention and having reference to the accompany-ing drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic layout of a photographic studio showing the simplicity of the equipment required to practice this invention.

IFIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view printer of this invention.

FIGURE 31is a front plan view of the projection printer with the front face cover door removed.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged and cross-sectional view of the lens and prism holder used in the projection printer of this invention.

IFIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view of the lens and of the projection 3,277,776 Patented oct. 11, 1966 ICC prism holder of FIGURE 4 as seen in the plane of line 5-5 thereon and looking in the direction ott the arrows.

The normal procedure `for taking and printing pictures is to use a camera with a lm from which is produced a transparent negative. Considerable time is required to process the transparent negative and to allow it to dry before printing can be done. The printing is done from the transparent negative by allowing light to pass through the negative on to light-sensitive photographic paper with the negative turned over so that the image is correctly oriented in the positive print obtained.

Another process involves the use of a positive paper lflm which is processed in a developer, washed, bleached and washed again, placed in a clearing solution, washed and then subjected to a iinisher or toner solution to obtain a positive picture directly. Reproduction to obtain other prints requires a picture of the picture to obtain a transparent negative and the same procedure outlined previously.

Referring to the drawings now, the present invention makes use of a camera 10 which will take pictures on positive paper film. The subject to be photographed, as for passport pictures, is seated in a chair 12, in a studio room 14. The camera is focused, the subject is suitably illuminated, as by oodlight 16, and the picture is taken.

The photographer then retires to the dark room 18 and removes the positive paper lm from the camera 10. The positive (paper backed) tilm is next immersed in a developer solution within such as pan 20 on a table or sink 22 in the dark room.

Normal procedure in the developing of positive film is to keep the hlm in the developer solution about 60 seconds. However, in the practice of this invention the lm is immersed only long enough to obtain a negative image, which will be about one-tenth of the time or six seconds.

As soon as the negative image appears, the positive film with the negative image is removed from the developer, washed and passed through a lixer solution. For exceptionally fast service a ve second immersion in a rapid acid xer works perfectly.

The next step is to wipe the paper backed positive film, with its negative image, dry with a sponge. This type film is normally on waterproof type paper so that the film when wiped free of water droplets is not even damp in the normal sense and no drying is required.

At the conclusion of the Work just mentioned, about fifteen seconds, give or take a few seconds ffor handling the film, the photographer has a positive paper opaque negative. The image is `a left to right and black to white reversal of the object photographed.

The next step in the process taught by this invention is to print a positive picture directly on regular photographic paper. For this purpose a projection printer 24 has been devised and will now be described in sufficient detail to understand the rest of the procedure.

l'Referring to FIGURES 2 and 3:

The projection printer 2'4 includes an outer box 26 Within which is disposed a lightproof box 28. T'he outer box 216 is formed with an opening 30 through its top wall through which the inner or dark box 28 is disposed. The front wall 32 of the da-rk lbox 28 is spaced from the front wall 34 of the outer box suiciently to provide a chamber sp-ace 316 within which is provided a light source, such as the fluorescent lights 3S and 40.

An opening 42 is provided within the front wall 32 of the dark box 28. An adapter 44 is provided in this opening and it is formed to hold a camera lens 46 and an optical prism 48. rI'he adapter 44 may be a square or rectangular fixture with a bore 50 at one end, suitably threaded to receive the lens ring 52, and extended arms 54 and 56 at the other end between which is received and retained the prism 4S. All that is important is that light received by the lens 46 be unobstructed in its passage to the prism 48A and its refiection by the prism towards the top of the dark box 28.

It Will be noted that the prism 48 is disposed behind the len-s 46 with its right angle sides 58 and 60 are disposed in parallel spaced relation to the plane of the lens 46 and the top of the dark box. This disposes the connecting side 62 of the prism, assuming a right angle prism, at a 45 angle for the light reective purpose it serves.

An opening 614 is provided through the front Wall 34 of the outer box 26, directly in line with the lens 46 and prism 48. The opening 64 is closed by a cover door 66 hinged as at 68 to the front Wall 34 and it is formed to provide a pocket space 70 in which -is disposed a film holder 72.

The dark box 218 includes a cover door 74 which closes its upper end and is hinged, as at 7'6, to the back Wall thereof. On the inner side of the cover door 74 is provided a holder 78 which is receptive of photographic paper 80 on which the image form a film member 8-2 in the front door holder 72 is to be projected.

Continuing now to describe the process of this invention:

The positive paper film with the negative image which was previously described, and is now identified by the numeral 82, is placed in the holder 72 in the cover door 616 of .the oute-r box 26. A piece of regular photographic paper, identified as 80 in the drawings, is placed in the holder 78 in the top closure door 74 of the dark box 28. Both cover doors are then closed and the lights 38 and 40 are turned on for about 6 seconds. Thereafter the photographic paper 80 is removed and processed in the regular manner through a developer solution, wash and fix.

When the negative image on the positive paper film 82 is illuminated by the light source, the light rays reflected from the surface thereof are received by the lens 46 and projected on to the reflective surface 62 of the prism 48. The reflected image is reversed by the prism 48 and projected in turn onto the photographic paper 80. As will be appreciated, the lens is properly positioned between the positive paper film 82 and the reflective Wall l62 of the prism 48 for proper and sharp focus. Similarly the prism 48 is positioned rela-tive to the photographic paper 80 and the lens 46 to obtain the same, enlarged, or reduction in size of the print desired.

Although the technique practiced is considerably different, the end res-ult is much like projecting light through a transparent film negative, turned over, onto a piece of photographic paper. HoWeve-r, the time required to process a transparent negative is completely avoided and the procedure taught enables as many prints to be obtained from the same negative as may be desired.

The time required by a passport photographer using this process and the device described, to ta'ke a picture, process the positive paper negative, trim the negative and put it in the projection printer, expose and develop the photographic printing paper, Wash and dry four prints is approximately 20 minutes. Each print is made individually but from the same positive paper negative so that they are unquestionably identical.

Although no mention 'has been made of masking techniques, enlargement, color film, etc., it is to be understood that such of these as are standard and know-n may be used in the practice of this invention and such as are later devised or perfected and are adaptable for use in the manner and with the device disclosed are to be con- .sidered as contemplated hereby.

Further, although a preferred method and embodiment for the practice of this invention has been shown and described in detail, it will be appreciated that certain modifications and improvements are Within the scope of the Iteachings set forth. Accordingly, such of these improvements and modifications as are Within the spirit of the inrvention and are not specifically excluded by the language of the hereinafter appended claim, are to be considered as inclusive thereunder.

I claim:

A photographic reproduction process Ifor photo passport and other use requiring fast service, high quality and lasting permanence, and comprising:

taking picture of a subject by focusing an image of such subject onto one positive sensitive pape-r, producing a negative image of said subject on said one Paper,

damp-drying said one paper with said negative image,

and immediately after the damp-drying of said one paper placing it in a fixed predetermined position and exposing the same and the negative image thereon to another positive sensitive paper also placed i-n a fixed predetermined position and at a substantially fixed predetermined focal length apart therefrom and under controlled artificial light to produce a positive picture of high quality and lasting permanence on said other paper.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 603,936 5/1889 Bouvang 95--1 2,015,803 10/ 1935 Landrock 88-24 2,042,005 5/1936 Hutchings 88-24 2,050,571 8/1936 Johnson 88-24 2,223,148 11/ 1940 Fullerton 8'8-24 2,319,882 5 1943 lReagan et al 88- 24 2,699,088 1/'1955 Hedrick 88-24 2,735,335 2/1956 Shaw 88--24 2,862,818 12/ 1958 Tyler et al 96-27 3,149,967 9/ 1964 Bechtold 96-27 NORTON ANSI-IER, Primary Examiner. R. A. WINTERCORN, Assistant Examiner. 

